Effect of V/Mo ratio on the evolution of carbide precipitates and hydrogen embrittlement of tempered martensitic steel

• Published in: Corrosion science Vol. 176; p. 108929
• Main Authors: Seo, Hyun Joo, Heo, Yoon-Uk, Kim, Jae Nam, Lee, Junmo, Choi, Sangwoo, Lee, Chong Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: A. Steel; B. Hydrogen absorption; B. Hydrogen permeation; C. Hydrogen embrittlement; Cemented carbides; Cementite; Hydrogen embrittlement; Martensitic stainless steels; Precipitates; Steel; C. Hydrogen embrittlement; A. Steel; B. Hydrogen absorption; B. Hydrogen permeation
• ISSN: 0010-938X; 1879-0496
• DOI: 10.1016/j.corsci.2020.108929

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•V/Mo ratio affected hydrogen embrittlement (HE) resistance.•Steel containing V/Mo ratio of 3:1 (3V1Mo) had superior HE resistance to those of 1:6 (1V6Mo) and Base.•Undissolved V carbide in 3V1Mo refined the prior austenite grain (PAG) size.•Hydrogen trapping by V carbides and refinement of PAG improved HE resistance.
Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) behavior of tempered martensitic steels subjected to V and Mo addition was investigated. V and Mo were added to a Base steel in two V/Mo wt.% ratios of 3:1 (3V1Mo) and 1:6 (1V6Mo). Addition of V and Mo improved the HE resistance, as a result of breakage of lamellar cementite and of hydrogen trapping by V/Mo carbides. The steel with high V/Mo ratio had better HE resistance than the steel with low V/Mo ratio, mainly because the high V content formed a large amount of V carbides, and that also refined prior austenite grains.